Rocking chair wheelbarrow



Jung 1, 1948. K. 1.. SEAY 2,442,552

ROCKING CHAIR WHEELBARROW Filed Jui 22, 1944 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. W L. BY

ATTORNEY June 1, 1948. 'K SEAY 2,442,552

ROCKING CHAIR WHEELBARROW 7 Filed July 22, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

M c. M42 I ATTORNEY Patented June 1, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,442,552 ROCKING c WHEELBARROW Kenneth L. Seay, Norfolk, Va.

Application July 22, 1944, serial No. 546,104

3 Claims.

, 1 This invention relates to a novel toy construction and more particularly relates to a toy wheelbarrow which is convertible into a toy rocking chair, a toy farming instrument such as a toy plow, a toy desk, a toy sled, and the like. The

novel convertible toy wheelbarrow comprising my.

invention is especially adapted for use by small children between the ages of one and seven although it may also be used byboth younger and older children.

Briefly, my toy wheelbarrow or rocking chair: Wheelbarrow, as it may conveniently be designated, includes a frame upon which is mounted,- desirably removably, a barrow body, two oppo- .site sides of which have their upper edges convexly curved so that the wheelbarrow may be inverted and used as a toy rocking chair. A removable chair back and an adjustable handle are desirably provided for use with the inverted wheelbarrow as a rocker. Preferably, the chair back and the handle device are so made that, when they are placed in substantially a vertical position; the floor of the barrow body is maintained in substantially a horizontal plane and the wheelbarrow may be used as a toy desk. When the barrow body is removed from the frame, the toy can be converted into a plow or similar instrument by afiixing a suitable blade device or the like to the handle. When the wheelbarrow is in the inverted position, it may also be converted into a sled by the attachment of an appropriate device to form runners toether with the curved barrow sides.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will now describeit in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of my novel convertible toy wheelbarrow.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the wheelbarrow shown in Fig. 1-.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the wheelbarrow in invetted position for use as a toy rocking chair.

I Fig. 4 is a plan view of the inverted wheelbar-' row as shown in Fig. 3.

is an elevation of the wheelbarrow in use as a toy desk.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the wheelbarrow frame in use as a toy plow.

Fig. '7 is anelevation of the wheelbarrow in inver'ted position for use as a toy sled.

Fig. 8' illustrates in perspective a type of toy rod and block that may be' included with the toy wheelbarrow as an additional amusement device forchildren.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a toy rake con-' structed from various removable members of the wheelbarrow. I

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a shovel or the like similarly constructed from various removable members of the wheelbarrow.

The wheelbarrow shown in Figs. 1 and 2 com;- prises a barrow body indicated generally at 12 mounted on or carried by a frame or chassis indicated at M. This frame desirably consists of two longitudinal supporting members l5 and 16. which are arranged to converge in the customary manner as shown. A wheel I? is mounted, de sirably in a fixed relation thereto, on an axle I8 journaled in the bearings J9, which are attached to the ends of members l5 and IG that are close together and which serve to maintain wheel I! in its proper position. The other ends of members l5 and I6, which also extend beyond the barrow body proper, form handles 20 wherebythe wheelbarrow may be suitably manipulated by a child. Legs 2! of a height sufiicient to give the barrow the desired forward tilt as shown are attached to members 15 and I6 adjacent the handle portions 20 thereof. k

Barrow body 12 comprises a substantially foursided floor 22 provided with side Walls23 and 24 along its opposite longer edges and with an end or front wall 25 along its edge nearest wheel l1. As shown in the drawings, the upper edgesof side walls 23 and 24 are shaped outwardly in the form or a convex curve, and an intermediate wall or brace 25 is positioned transversely at the midsections of the opposite side walls and desirably slopes slightly downwardly towards the handle end of the barrow as shown. The remaining edge 21 of floor 22 maybe curved asshown in Fig. 1 in order toprovide an; attractive appearance to the barrow, Floor 22r'nay also be provided with a plurality of holes 28 near edge 21, which holes are adaptedfor the insertion ofthe shortrods or dowels '29 shown in Fig. 8. The several barrowwallsare desirably glued to each other and to the floor although any other appropriate means of assembly maybe employed, and the barrow body l2 is desirably removably attached to or carried by frame M for a purpose more fully described hereinafter.

When the toy is used as awheelbarrowby a child, he may either grasp the handles zfl and' manipulate it himself; or he may be seated in the barrow body and be truhdledabout either by another child or an adult. In the latter case the sloping intermediate wall 26 conveniently serves as a back rest for' the child sitting on barrow floor 22. While the child is seated in the barrow,

he may additionally amuse himself by removably inserting the plugs or rods 29 into holes 28 and by further removably placing one or more blocks 30 (see Fig. 8) of rectangular or other cross section over plugs 29 either before or after they have been inserted into holes 28. These 'plugs and blocks may be suitably stored or carried in the space provided by the side walls, the end wall, and the intermediate wall.

When this toy wheelbarrow is inverted, it is converted into a rocking device or chair as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The convexly curved edges of side Walls 23 and 24 serve as the rockers for the inverted rocking chair-wheelbarrow. A seat 32, which may be in the shape of an apple as shown, and a chair back 33 or the like are provided near the wheel end of barrow body l2. preferably fastened to the under side of frame l4; and the chair back may comprise a top member 34 and a plurality of spokes or rods 35 which are suitably ailixed to member 34 and which are adapted for removable insertion of the chair back into the corresponding holes 36 provided in the barrow floor 22. This chair back is conveniently so constructed that it may be readily disassembled for a purpose more fully described hereinafter. Handle bar device 38 is also provided and may suitably comprise a shaft 39 fixed in legs 2|, a member 40 movably joumaled at one end on this shaft, and a handle bar 41 removably inserted through the other end of member 40. The journaling of member 40 on shaft 39 may conveniently be made sufficiently tight so as to permit the member 49 to remain in any selected position although requiring its position to be changed by the application of suitable pressure. When the toy is converted from a wheelbarrow into a rocking chair, the chair back is inserted into holes 36, and the handle bar is moved into the desired position. Otherwise, the handle bar is kept out of operative position by means of a suitable pivotable locking device 42 or the like attached to frame [4, for example.

A child, when using the wheelbarrow as a rocker, can seat himself on seat 32; and, taking hold of handle bar 4| and using shaft 39 as a foot brace or rest, he can impart a backward and forward motion to the inverted wheelbarrow and set the barrow to rocking on the convexly curved edges of side walls 23 and 24. To prevent the inverted barrow from toppling over by reason of too strenuous rocking, I provide means to limit the rocking motion desirably to less than the full extent of the convexly curved edges. For this purpose, the handle ends of frame members 15 and 16 extend sumciently beyond the barrow body i 2 so as to stop the rocking motion in this direction before the corresponding end of the curved edges of the side walls is reached. The upper edge of these handle ends may be conveniently curved in the same direction as that of the curved side wall edges, if it is so desired, in order to provide a more gentle termination of the rocking motion. At the other end of the barrow, wheel H, which extends a short distance beyond barrow body l2 by reason of appropriate extensions of members 15 and It, serves to limit the rocking motion in this direction before the corresponding end of the side wall curves is reached.

As shown in Fig. 5, the toy wheelbarrow may also be so converted as to position the barrow floor 22 in a substantially horizontal plane for use as a desk, a platform, a work bench, or the like. For this purpose the total effective height of the chair back 33 and the handle bar device The seat .is

38 is substantially the same so that, when member 49 is moved into substantially a vertical position as shown, floor 22 is maintained in a substantially horizontal position. One or more blocks 43 may be removably slid over handle bar 4|, or some other appropriate means may be provided to lock thehandle bar device in the substantially vertical position. Blocks 43 may be of any suitable construction; and blocks 30 may be employed for this purpose if desired.

A stool 44 may be provided for use by a child when the wheelbarrow is converted to a desk. This stool may be an additional item or, alternatively, may be assembled from the dowels 29 and the seat 32, the dowels 29 being inserted into appropriate holes provided in seat 32. In

.this case seat 32 is, of course, detachably fastened to frame I4. Handle bar 4| also provides a foot rest for the child sitting on stool 44. When the wheelbarrow is in this position, the child, of course, may use fioor 22 as a desk or the like or may removably insert plugs 29 into holes 28, for example.

Fig. 6 shows the conversion of the Wheelbarrow into a toy plow. To accomplish this purpose, the barrow body 12, which is desirably detachably fastened to frame M as already pointed out, is separated from the frame, and one or more members 45 shaped in the form of a plow blade or the like are slid over handle bar 4|. Separate individual plow blades or the like may be provided for this purpose; and, if desired, one or more of the blocks 30 may be suitably shaped and utilized in place of members 45. Member 40 is moved into the desired position and is maintained there by reason of its tight journallng on shaft 39. Alternatively, the toy wheelbarrow may be converted into a toy disc harrow or the like by the use of a sufficient number of appropriately shaped members 45.

It wil be noted that the cross-bracing for frame i4 is normally supplied by the seat 32 and by the shaft 39, which is fixed in legs 2| attached to members I5 and I6, respectively. Where the barrow frame is converted to the toy plow, however, seat 32 is desirably only detachably fastened to frame It. In this case another brace must be provided, and transverse member 41 may conveniently serve this purpose. Member 41 is desirably positioned as shown in Fig. 4 and is then provided with a suitable hole into which one of the spokes 35 may be inserted. Alternatively, axle it may be fixed in the ends of members [5 and I5 and may only loosely carry wheel I! and may thus serve as a brace. Other bracing may, of course, also be provided although the above arrangement has been found exceptionally satisfactory.

The toy wheelbarrow, when inverted, may also be used as a sled as shown in Fig. '7. In this case a T-shaped vertical member 48 or the like may be inserted in a centrally located hole 28 in barrow floor 22, and one or more members 49 shaped in the form of a short runner may be slid over the arms of T-shaped member 48. Alternatively, two members (not shown) similar to member 48 may be inserted in holes 28 one on each side of the barrow floor, and a runner member 49 afl'ixed to the base of each. The curved edges of the barrow sides 23 and 24 together with the runner members 49 serve as the runners for the sled. The child may be seated on seat 32 and lean against the chair back 33, and handle bar device 38 may be so adjusted that he may readily grasp it. Again, one or more of the blocks 30 may also be formed in the shape of a runner if it is found desirable to do so; or the blocks 43 may be so fashioned as to be adaptable for use as runners.

In addition to the above, I may also provide several additional playthings that may be assembled from various elements of my convertible wheelbarrow. For example, in Fig. 9 I have shown a toy rake, which may be assembled from one of the blocks 39, several of the plugs 29, and one of the chair spokes 35. Again, I may fashion a shovel or the like from one of the chair spokes 35 and the plow blade 55 as shown in Fig. 10; or these elements may also be formed into a hoe. In either case, blocks 36 and plow blade i-5 are provided with the necessary holes 553 so that they may be assembled and disassembled at will. The rake and the shovel may conveniently be stowed in the space between the barrow floor 22 and the seat 32 when the wheelbarrow is used as such.

Although I have shown the convertible wheelbarrow as constructed with a frame or chassis l4, it will be understood that this type of frame is not essential. For example, the frame may consist only of two short members which are attached to the barrow body 12 adjacent end wall and which serve only as a means to journal axle is. In such event, individual handles would have to be attached to the other end of the barrow body. Similarly, independent means (not shown) may be provided in place of the described arrangement to lock the handle bar device 38 in the desired position. Furthermore, the particular curve shown for the upper edges of side walls 23 and 24 need not be used; and the entire length of such upper edges also need not be curved if such construction is desirable.

For the greater enjoyment of the child using my convertible toy wheelbarrow, it may be appropriately painted, and pictures of animals or the like may also be applied to the walls. Plugs 2c and blocks may also be painted in distinctive colors. I may also provide a crank 51 which may be removably mounted on axle i3 and which the child may turn as his desires dictate.

I have thus provided a novel toy wheelbarrow, which can not only be converted into a number of other highly useful toys with but a few changes but is also constructed in an unusually compact manner.

Although I have described a preferred form of embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that modifications may be made thereto; and only those limitations appearing in the claims appended hereinafter should be applied.

I claim:

1. A convertible toy comprising a wheelbarrow structure including a body having a floor, opposite side walls, and a front wall, handles projecting from the rear end of said body, a wheel mounted at the forward end of the body, legs rigid with said body and depending from the rear end portion thereof, the upper edges of the opposite side walls of said body being convexly curved to form supporting rockers for the body when the wheelbarrow is inverted, a rigid leg-extension member pivotally connected at one end thereof to said legs to swing about a horizontal axis located at an intermediate point in the length of the legs and having a radial length exceeding the length of the legs below said axis, a crossbar borne by said member at the free end thereof and having free end-portions projecting horizontally from opposite sides thereof transversely of the wheelbarrow, and means on the under side of said floor to retain said member in an upwardly swung inoperative position with the free end of the member elevated above the level of the lower end of the legs.

2. A toy comprising a body comprising a floor having downwardly extending side walls along two opposite edges thereof, a chair back extending upwardly from aid fioor at one end thereof, a rigid member extending upwardly from said floor at the other end thereof, the vertical height of said rigid member being less than that of said chair back, and a handle bar member pivotally mounted on said rigid member, the radial length of said handle bar member being such that, when it is moved into a substantially vertical position, the vertical height of the rigid member and the handle bar member combined and that of the chair back are substantially the same whereby, when the toy is inverted, the body floor is maintained in a substantially horizontal position and serves as a work bench or the like and the rigid member and the handle bar member combined and the chair back serve as legs therefor, the lower edges of said side walls being convexly curved whereby said curved edges serve as sled runners, rockers, and the like.

3. A toy comprising a body comprising a floor having downwardly extending side walls along two opposite edges thereof, a chair back extending upwardly from said floor at one end thereof, a rigid member extending upwardly from said floor at the other end thereof, the vertical height of said rigid member being less than that of said chair back, a handle bar member pivotally mounted on said rigid member, the radial length of said handle bar member being such that, when it is moved into a substantially vertical position, the vertical height of the rigid member and the handle bar member combined and that of the chair back are substantially the same whereby when the toy is inverted the body floor is maintained in a substantially horizontal position and serves as a work bench or the like and the rigid member and the handle bar member combined and the chair back serve as legs therefor and means mounted on the handle bar member to maintain it in the substantially vertical position, the lower edges of said side walls being convexly curved whereby said curved edges serve as sled runners, rockers, and the like.

KENNETH L. SEAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,303,527 Davidson Dec. 1, 1942 D. 137,595 Goodman et al Apr. 4., 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 255,007 Great Britain July 15, 1926 459,900 France Sept. 19, 1913 

